RETIREMENT | FUN | ACTION
1 Simple Secret for Focus and Purpose
the best place to start
The best (and only) place to start is exactly where you are right now!
The first step in making the most out of the rest of your life (and creating a retirement you love) is to get really clear about where you are right now.
There are a variety of ways to do that. I’ve shared some earlier and more to come…
Get Grounded
One very helpful “tool” is mindfulness meditation. It can provide you with a solid foundation to build upon.
“Mindfulness meditation changes our brain and biology in positive ways, improving mental and physical health” — American Psychological Association, Oct 2019
Lots of successful people meditate, many of who may surprise you. Celebrities include Clint Eastwood, Paul McCartney, LeBron James, Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Alba, Howard Stern, and Will Smith. Business leaders include Steve Jobs, George Lucas, Marc Benioff (SalesForce), and Ray Dalio (legendary investor). And there are surprisingly many more examples.
My Own Path
As a freshman in college during my pleasure reading, I encountered the idea of meditating with the phrase “om mani padme hum” (“praise to the jewel in the lotus”). It intrigued me and I dabbled with it off and on over the years.
About 30 years ago, my congregation had a summer session about Zen breathing. I was deceptively simple: Count my breaths to 10, then start again.
As I got into it, I discovered ways to stay on task and it really helped. Over time I used through stress and crisis at work and in my personal life. It was a quick, simple way to get and stay grounded.
I abandoned for a while when I had a spinal tumor because my mind rejected being with myself. I’ve gotten past that meditate 15 minutes daily. I’ve found it so beneficial that I intend to gradually increase that time.
A Gift That Kept Giving
Four years ago, I made a meditation mp3 for my younger son. He ran with it. He learned more during yoga classes and more. Being in finance, he was inspired by Ray Dalio. Now he’s expanded his practice and I’ve been so happy to see profound changes for the better in his life.
How To Get Started
A simple way to start is this: Sit comfortably, let your eyes gently close, and count your breaths — in, out, in, out. Just that.
If you’d like a bit more help, I created an “improved” version of the meditation mp3 I made for my son.
You can get it here, https://www.ExploringRetirement.club/meditation
Keep an eye out for more emails from me about this and making the most of the rest of your life.
Thanks for reading,
Eric
P.S. here’s how to get your FREE Simple Meditation mp3 again, https://www.ExploringRetirement.club/meditation
P.P.S. Acknowledging some others who’ve helped and joined me along the way:
JeffHerring.com, Tim Maudlin, Linda Halladay, Larry Nowicki, Helen Boss, MaryJo Wagner, PhD, Vickie Trancho, Bob Walter, Dan Langerock, Terry Mansfield, Cynthia Charleen Alexander, Casi Mclean, John Kremer, Andrew Poletto, Dinah Spitalnik, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Julie Anne Eason, Anne Young, Lihua Wang, Jacquelyn Lynn
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